We Asked Every U.S. Senator About Israel Killing 17 Palestinians and Shooting Hundreds More
FeaturesOn Friday, the Israeli military killed 17 Palestinians and wounded hundreds more during a protest for Palestinian rights that had been planned for weeks and attended by tens of thousands. In a since-deleted tweet from Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces said they knew “where every bullet landed”—that none of the deaths were mistakes.
The Israeli military claimed that soldiers only shot those who were approaching an off-limits border fence walling off Gaza. But in one disturbing video, a Palestinian teenager can be seen running away from the fence and being shot by sniper fire.
While protests in Gaza are common, it’s rare for them to end with so many injured and dead. U.S. leaders have remained nearly universally silent on the issue.
Over the weekend, the United Nations Security Council attempted to condemn Israel’s actions and begin an inquiry into the violence, but the U.S. blocked the statement. Walter Miller, a U.S. representative to the U.N., said Palestinian protesters were “bad actors” using the protests “as a cover to incite violence.” Any permanent member of the Security Council can veto a measure, but the U.S. has done it most frequently when the rest of the Council has condemned Israel — at least 44 times, including last December, when President Trump announced the U.S. Embassy would be moved to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
Until Tuesday, Bernie Sanders was the only U.S. senator to comment publicly on the issue. The U.S. authorizes billions of dollars in military aid to Israel each year, and because every senator votes on this aid, we figured they might have a comment on the situation.
The most significant response we got was from an aide to Senator Patrick Leahy, who has expressed concerns about the Israeli military’s actions before. He questioned whether the actions of the Israeli military should be considered in relation to a law preventing the U.S. from assisting “units of foreign security forces where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights.”
Journalist Erin Corbett and I called, emailed, and followed up with all 99 U.S. senators (there’s a vacancy in Mississippi because Thad Cochran stepped down due to health issues). Here’s what they told us.
This post will be updated as responses come in.
Lisa Murkowski (R), Alaska:
“The Senator is traveling for work in rural Alaska with little to no cell service,” press secretary Hannah Ray said. “So unfortunately I won’t be able to provide you with anything.”
Michael Bennet (D), Colorado:
Press Secretary Laurie Cipriano asked if any other senators had given a comment and added, “I don’t know that we will be able to get a comment by your deadline. Do you want to extend your deadline?” (We offered to extend the deadline and have not heard back.)
Bill Nelson (D), Florida:
“I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken with the Senator but will look into it and see what I can find out,” said Jackie McGuinness, Nelson’s deputy press secretary.
Tammy Duckworth (D), Illinois:
“I’ll check in with the Senator to see if she wants to comment,” said Sean Savett, Duckworth’s press secretary.
John Kennedy (R), Louisiana:
“The Senator is traveling,” said Michelle Millhollon, Kennedy’s communications director.
Jeff Merkley (D), Oregon:
“Unfortunately, at the moment it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to get ahold of Senator Merkley for comment by your deadline. I’ll let you know if that changes.” (We offered to extend the deadline, and did not hear back.)
Mike Lee (R), Utah:
“We’re not going to have any comment on that,” said Conn Carroll, communications director for Senator Lee.
Patrick Leahy (D), Vermont:
An aide to Senator Leahy, who did not want their name used, sent us the following statement:
“Senator Leahy is concerned about the use of live ammunition against protestors wherever it occurs. He is currently part of a Senate delegation for visits overseas with NATO officials and other leaders, but upon his return he will want to know why the defense forces believed the use of live ammunition resulting in the deaths of at least 17 people was justified and whether the Leahy Law applies to the units responsible for these deaths.”
The Leahy Law prevents the U.S. from giving aid to units of foreign governments that participate in “gross violations of human rights.”
Bernie Sanders (I), Vermont:
Sanders had been thus far the only Senator to comment on the situation, and his press person referred us to his previous statements. He told CNN that Israel had “overreacted” and said that, “the situation in Gaza remains a humanitarian disaster.”
On Facebook, Senator Sanders said, “The unrest in Gaza will not end until the people there see hope for a decent future.”
Maria Cantwell (D), Washington:
“The Senator is traveling across Washington state,” said Reid Walker, her director of communications.
Joe Manchin (D), West Virginia:
“No,” Jonathan Kott, Manchin’s communications director said (and then hung up the phone).
The following Senators did not return multiple requests for comment:
Doug Jones (D), Alabama
Richard Shelby (R), Alabama
Dan Sullivan (R), Alaska
Jeff Flake (R), Arizona
John McCain (R), Arizona
John Boozman (R), Arkansas
Tom Cotton (R), Arkansas
Dianne Feinstein (D), California
Kamala Harris (D), California
Cory Gardner (R), Colorado
Richard Blumenthal (D), Connecticut
Chris Murphy (D), Connecticut
Tom Carper (D), Delaware
Chris Coons (D), Delaware
Marco Rubio (R), Florida
Johnny Isakson (R), Georgia
David Perdue (R), Georgia
Brian Schatz (D), Hawaii
Mazie Hirono (D), Hawaii
Mike Crapo (R), Idaho
Jim Risch (R), Idaho
Dick Durbin (D), Illinois
Joe Donnelly (D), Indiana
Todd Young (R), Indiana
Chuck Grassley (R), Iowa
Joni Ernst (R), Iowa
Pat Roberts (R), Kansas
Jerry Moran (R), Kansas
Mitch McConnell (R), Kentucky
Rand Paul (R), Kentucky
Bill Cassidy (R), Louisiana
Susan Collins (R), Maine
Angus King (I), Maine
Ben Cardin (D), Maryland
Chris Van Hollen (D), Maryland
Elizabeth Warren (D), Massachusetts
Debbie Stabenow (D), Michigan
Gary Peters (D), Michigan
Amy Klobuchar (D), Minnesota
Tina Smith (D), Minnesota
Roger Wicker (R), Mississippi
Claire McCaskill (D), Missouri
Roy Blunt (R), Missouri
Jon Tester (D), Montana
Steve Daines (R), Montana
Deb Fischer (R), Nebraska
Ben Sasse (R), Nebraska
Dean Heller (R), Nevada
Catherine Cortez Masto (D), Nevada
Jeanne Shaheen (D), New Hampshire
Maggie Hassan (D), New Hampshire
Bob Menendez (D), New Jersey
Cory Booker (D), New Jersey
Tom Udall (D), New Mexico
Martin Heinrich (D), New Mexico
Chuck Schumer (D), New York
Kirsten Gillibrand (D), New York
Richard Burr (R), North Carolina
Thom Tillis (R), North Carolina
John Hoeven (R), North Dakota
Heidi Heitkamp (D), North Dakota
Sherrod Brown (D), Ohio
Rob Portman (D), Ohio
Jim Inhofe (R), Oklahoma
James Lankford (R), Oklahoma
Ron Wyden (D), Oregon
Bob Casey (D), Pennsylvania
Pat Toomey (R), Pennsylvania
Jack Reed (D), Rhode Island
Sheldon Whitehouse (D), Rhode Island
Lindsey Graham (R), South Carolina
Tim Scott (R), South Carolina
John Thune (R), South Dakota
Mike Rounds (R), South Dakota
Lamar Alexander (R), Tennessee
Bob Corker (R), Tennessee
John Cornyn (R), Texas
Ted Cruz (R), Texas
Orrin Hatch (R), Utah
Mark Warner (D), Virginia
Tim Kaine (D), Virginia
Patty Murray (D), Washington
Shelley Moore Capito (R), West Virginia
Ron Johnson (R), Wisconsin
Tammy Baldwin (D), Wisconsin
Mike Enzi (R), Wyoming
John Barrasso (R), Wyoming
Correction: This post initially said that Israel receives “tens of billions” in U.S. military aid every year. While the U.S. did sign a $38 billion military aid package with Israel in 2016, that package covered a ten-year period. Israel is due to receive around $3.8 billion a year from the package—still by far the most military aid the U.S. gives to any country.